Summary
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque, marking his first entry into a Muslim place of worship since becoming head of the Catholic Church in May.
The visit, which took place on the third day of his trip to Turkey, mirrored similar gestures made by former popes Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014.
The Blue Mosque, famed for its six minarets, layered domes, and striking blue Iznik tiles, welcomed the American pontiff as he removed his shoes and stepped onto its burnt-orange carpet in white socks, a subtle nod to his favourite baseball team, the Chicago White Sox. He spent around 15 minutes inside, guided by Muslim officials, while a lone crow circled beneath the vast domes in a scene witnessed by an AFP correspondent.
“He wanted to see the mosque, he wanted to feel the atmosphere of the mosque, and he was very pleased,” said Askin Tunca, the mosque’s muezzin.
Outside, groups of tourists waited behind tight security cordons. Reactions ranged from admiration to frustration. Some visitors praised the pope’s symbolic pursuit of peace, while others lamented restricted access to the mosque during his visit. One Turkish tourist insisted the pope “has no business here,” though his wife countered that freedom of worship and visitation should be mutual.
Unlike his predecessors, Leo did not stop at the nearby Hagia Sophia. The former basilica—converted to a mosque in the Ottoman era, then to a museum in 1935, and back to a mosque in 2020—had drawn global concern following its reclassification, with the late Pope Francis saying he was “very saddened.”
Later on Saturday, Leo was scheduled to meet local Christian leaders, participate in a service at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, and hold talks with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, after which both leaders will sign a joint declaration. By afternoon, the pope is expected to lead Mass at the Volkswagen Arena before heading to Lebanon on Sunday for the second leg of his first international tour as pontiff.
What You Should Know
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Blue Mosque underscores his commitment to interfaith dialogue and symbolic outreach between Christians and Muslims.
His gesture echoes the actions of earlier popes who sought to strengthen religious harmony, especially at a time when global tensions and Islamophobia continue to rise.
The visit also marks a significant moment in his first overseas journey as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
